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<p>It wasn't until two years ago that I ever considered going to the northerly Canadian province of Yukon to ride bikes&mdash;after all, I live in Vancouver and just getting to the territory requires flying over a good deal of great trails in <a target="_blank" href="http://www.mountainbike.com/ride-maps/ride-british-columbia">British Columbia</a>. But I hooked up with tour operators <a target="_blank" href="http://borealebiking.ca/">Bor&eacute;ale Biking</a> and that first trip changed my mind. Since then, I've made numerous returns, drawn back each time by the lure of some of the friendliest people, the greatest singletrack and most beautiful light I've ever experienced. This selection of photos is from a trip last season.</p>
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<p>I fell in love with this area instantly, and decided it was the best place to hold my first-ever <a target="_blank" href="http://borealebiking.ca/photo-clinic">mountain bike photo clinic</a>. But whether you come here for the scenery, the amazing trails&mdash;or both&mdash;the Yukon can't be beat.</p>

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This tiny ribbon of singletrack starts at the top of a distant mountain, and ends at a pier jutting into a crystal clear lake. After the long descent filled with incredible views, the only proper way to finish the ride is by hopping into the cool, clear waters.

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Sylvain and Marsha Cameron ride Hospital Ridge, a sinewy trail that hugs an outlook over Whitehorse, just moments away from Bor&eacute;ale's base camp. In the height of summer you need to stay up pretty late to experience a true sunset, and it's not unheard of to still be riding well past midnight.

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Camping in Bor&eacute;ale's luxury yurts not only makes the whole trip more relaxing, but guests also play witness to spectacular light shows, thanks to the near 24 hours of sunlight the Yukon receives.

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In addition to the short loops of flat-out fun that are the hallmark of the trails outside Whitehorse, there's also genuinely epic big mountain riding to be had. The &quot;Mountain Hero&quot; trip on nearby Montana Mountain will test your legs and lungs but rewards the effort with phenomenal views, a brake-melting <a href="http://www.bicycling.com/mountainbikecom/skills/descending-tricky-switch... target="_blank">switchback descent</a> and a fascinating glimpse into the history of the area.

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Lili the dog leads two riders over a recently built bridge. The local government has backed (and funded) trail building around Whitehorse, which means the trails are only growing in number and getting better with time.

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